Have you ever considered that you have a gift to give and it really is your choice as to whom, or even if, you give it to? To be honest…. it really is the only gift of worth that you have to offer. And, the recipient always has the right to refuse your offer. There is also another caveat in this…. once you’ve given the gift and it’s been accepted you relinquish all control over it.
Dilemma?
One of the first questions you have to answer is – to whom do you offer the gift? To your family? To your friends? To your ‘work’? To God? Who will safeguard your gift, actually cherish it? Because your gift is – you, warts and all. Whoever and whatever you are at that moment in time is your gift. And this is a very priceless gift.
I suspect that you can also give ‘portions’ of your gift – not the whole. Not really certain how this is accomplished, but you can attempt to retain some level of control -but then you really haven’t given the gift. But what’s the point? IF you are to give a gift, you need to relinquish your control, your rights over it, otherwise it really isn’t a gift.
In giving your gift, since you do relinquish control, I understand that this places you in a very vulnerable position. Reality is that gift can be misplaced, misused or misinterpreted. Actually the only truly safe harbor for your gift is the Lord. He doesn’t misplace or misuse you, actually He enhances you.
I’ve always found that when I’ve given me to something, someone that I have to allow them the ‘right’ to hurt me. That’s very uncomfortable basically because typically I do end up hurt in some way. But when I finally gave myself completely (or at least as completely as I know how) to the Lord, my vulnerability is protected. More important, to me, is that I’ve grown and that is valuable.
The last question is…. if you don’t give your gift, what are you doing with it?
